SAN DIEGO - Eighteen candidates in a solidly GOP district on the Southern California coast competed in a special election Tuesday for the congressional seat once held by Randy "Duke" Cunningham, now in prison for bribery.

Brian Bilbray, a former congressman-turned-lobbyist who was the choice of the GOP establishment; Republican businessman Eric Roach, who spent $1.8 million of his own money; and Democrat Francine Busby were considered the front-runners.

Cunningham represented the House district from 1993 until he resigned in disgrace late last year. In March, the former Vietnam War fighter ace was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for taking $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors.

Tuesday's race had a wide-open ballot, with 14 Republicans, two Democrats, one Libertarian and one independent. If no one got more than 50 percent of the vote, the top finisher from each party would compete in a runoff June 6.

The winner will serve out the remaining eight months of Cunningham's term, and will almost certainly try to hold on to the seat come November.

Republicans outnumber Democrats 3-to-2 in the wealthy district.

If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the top finisher from each party competes in a June 6 contest, the same day as the primary for the midterm congressional elections.

An outright winner Tuesday or, more likely, the winner of the June contest takes a seat in Congress for the remaining eight months of Cunningham's term  and likely immediately begins campaigning to hold on to the seat come November.

With the GOP field crowded, Democrats hoped that Busby, who ran and lost to Cunningham in 2004, could score an upset, a prospect that her own campaign acknowledged was unlikely.

Voters faced an onslaught of negative campaign mailers and TV ads in the final hours before heading to the polls.

Bilbray, a surfer and one-time lifeguard, was attacked in a mailer from the California Republican Assembly, a grass-roots conservative group, that called Bilbray "a Democrat posing as a Republican."

The Bilbray campaign attacked Roach as a mystery man trying to buy an election. "His political campaign ads and mailers are everywhere. But until a few months ago, no one had ever heard of him," Bilbray's mailer said.

Former state Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian's campaign attempted to recover from an embarrassing misstep. Internet bloggers discovered that photos on his campaign Web site purportedly showing a tranquil Iraqi street scene had been taken in Istanbul, Turkey. The photos were removed.

With the GOP field busy attacking itself, national Republicans poured some $300,000 during the campaign's final week into TV ads criticizing Busby for accepting donations from lobbyists. A mailer from national Republicans claimed that the school board member and self-described soccer mom had voted to lay off teachers in 2003.

Busby retaliated by noting that Cunningham had given $2,000 of his campaign funds to national Republicans before he headed off to prison.

Bilbray, a surfer and one-time lifeguard, was attacked in a mailer from the California Republican Assembly, a grass-roots conservative group, that called Bilbray "a Democrat posing as a Republican."

The Bilbray campaign attacked Roach as a mystery man trying to buy an election. "His political campaign ads and mailers are everywhere. But until a few months ago, no one had ever heard of him," Bilbray's mailer said.

Why is citing someone's record, or wanting to know more about a candidate considered an "attack"?

Thanks. Local media expect a turn out around 40-45% with Busby on top with over 40%, and Bilbray in a statistical tie with Roach so it might be awhile before we know who Busby will face in June. Of course all bets are off with actual votes compared to polling.

The annoying thing is we're back at it in June: doing a primary for the next term! And, if Busby (or someone else) doesn't win today outright, we'll also be voting for the seat to fill out Duke's term in June as well.

I meant how conservatives split. Basically it was RINO Bilbray as the party's choice and then (most) everyone else running on the GOP side is more conservative than he is.

It could've been Busby vs. a known conservative but we split among so many alternatives it looks like Bilbray may well be the GOP standard bearer. Eric Roach claims to be conservative but what do we know? Ron Packard endorsed him but it's unclear to me the origin of that. Is it because both are Mormon?

I was surprised Roger Hedgecock endorsed Scott Turner, a candidate even further off the radar.

I tried earlier to get this info on their website but couldn't...didn't see the election for today listed. Thanks for any help...I'm nervous. OC also has an election today and it's scary after all of the immigration sucking the air...except for the phone calls!

I was surprised Roger Hedgecock endorsed Scott Turner, a candidate even further off the radar.

So am I! I haven't listened to most of Roger's candidate interviews, but Scott Turner's issues page doesn't mention making tax cuts permanent, and it doesn't mention Constitutional issues like the 2nd Amendment.

conservatives split. Basically it was RINO Bilbray as the party's choice and then (most) everyone else running on the GOP side is more conservative than he is.

Hopefully Bilbray won't get the nomination. Roger asked the candidates whether they would support the GOP nominee, even if it were Bilbray. Does that mean the GOP candidates will endorse the same person for the Primary as for the Runoff in the June election?

Busby will probably go up to the high 40's, if absentees are more GOP weighted, and they usually are, but Busby put a lot of effort into absentees, so maybe no, In any event, Busby will very probably fall short of 50%. I have no idea of Bilbray or Roach will get the GOP nomination. Normally Bilbray's constituency would do better with absentees, but Raoch had more money, and Bilbray had more independents in his mix, and they don't vote as much absentee. If this holds, a huge amount of money will be spent in the general. The GOP erosion appears alive and well.

One other thought. Roach is Mormon, and they are very organized, and most probably voted absentee, and mostly for Roach. I am going to go out on a limb with that thought, and "predict," cautiously, that Bilbray will be the man.

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